Darrent Williams: Growing up fast...

[ØrangeÇrush]

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=4584


Growing Up Fast

Credit to:
Andrew Mason (nice article andrew)
DenverBroncos.com

DENVER -- Darrent Williams has shown not even the slightest hint of intimidation at his NFL surroundings.

Being awestruck? That can happen. But even that didn't take place when he lined up on the opposite side of the scrimmage line from Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.

It didn't happen during the game, which Williams started. Before the game, though ...

"The pregame, I went out there and saw Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison," Williams said. "I (thought), 'I'm on the field with them. I've been watching them since I was in college.'"

Saturday, he played against them, and while he endured ups and downs, he turned in one of the defining plays for the defense when he sacked Manning on a third-quarter third-down play. It was remarkable enough that anyone got to Manning, who was sacked only 13 times last season. But the fact that one of the Broncos' sackers was Williams was amazing, given that he played four years at Oklahoma State without posting even one sack.

"This is new to me," Williams said. "At OSU, I mainly played outside corner, and we really never blitzed our outside corner; we blitzed our nickel corner or our safeties. It's been great. I like going in there, being able to blitz and get some pressure on the quarterback and hit a running back in the backfield."

That play was at one end of the spectrum. The late-first-half touchdown connection from Manning to Harrison was at the other; Williams was left grasping as Harrison scored.

It wasn't his fault, but he was still kicking himself on the sidelines afterwards.

"The only mistake mainly was when we got the wrong call and we had busted coverage," Williams said. "They were telling me, 'It's not your fault,' stuff like that, but I was kind of down that we weren't playing the right thing and we let a touchdown in."

That's exactly the kind of response that assistant defensive backs coach Jimmy Spencer wanted to see from the second-round pick.

"Even if one guy did make a mistake, we look at it as a team," Spencer said. "If one guy makes a mistake, it was on all of us."

But Williams fared splendidly in the areas he could control, notching a team-leading nine tackles Saturday -- seven solo stops and two assists. Colts receivers did make catches in his area from time to time, but Williams generally kept them from turning small plays into big ones.

"I'd give myself a 'B,'" Williams said when asked to grade his performance. "I still made some mistakes, but overall I played pretty well. I can always play better. If I'd had six picks, I'd still feel I could play better.

"I had a few tackles. I just think I played better than I did the previous two weeks."

At the very least, well enough for Spencer to gain confidence in him -- just as he has in fellow rookie cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Karl Paymah.

"I don't look at them as rookies," Spencer said. "They're smart, they're fast, they can compete. I don't hesitate to throw them in there."

[bloodsunday]

Howard Griffith predicted on the WB2 news last night that Darrent will start opposite Champ by midseason. Since I have been critical of Shanny's draft picks recently, I will be the first to say "Great job". There is no way I could have imagined he'd be this good.

Let's hope that he's not starting in place of an injured Champ at midseason :(

[Mediator12]

Yep. The play that Harrison scored on was blown by none other than... Sam "I can not read Zone coverage" Brandon. I assumed it was Williams since they had to get him on the right side of the field before the play. Manning owns Brandon, and Sam needs to wake up. He looks good in practice, but is still blowing assignments in games!

[Drek]

See, I don't think Brandon will be able to pick it up, and its because you hit the nail on the head Mediator. He doesn't have a feel for zone coverage. Most of Shanahan's DB draft picks have had that problem. They tend to just be athletes who can keep with a guy in one on one coverage, but when it comes to football particular skills, like ball awareness or reading a play as it developes, they're lost. Thats why I like Williams so much though, he has those football skills. Foxworth shows them off sometimes as well, though he's a bit raw. Paymah I worry about, he seems like your typical athlete playing DB that Gibbs would have picked. He should be a valuable special teams gunner, but I think his career would be a whole lot brighter as a FS where he can play facing the ball more than not. Thats how I felt about Deltha too actually. ;P

[Odysseus]

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=4584


Growing Up Fast

Credit to:
Andrew Mason (nice article andrew)
DenverBroncos.com

"I don't look at them as rookies," Spencer said. "They're smart, they're fast, they can compete. I don't hesitate to throw them in there."

I said this day one drafting. How would I know any of this crap?

Attitude.

I'm telling you. All of these guys are going to hard to handle. You guys don't have any clue how good these guys are going to be. I'm not worried about the Broncos run support. This kind of attitude fixes things. There is nothing worst than a rookie calling you out for missing a tackle.

[Tredici]

Instead of moaning a bust in a third round compensatory pick, we should be celebrating the Darrent who? pick.

It has been said this kid is of starting NFL Corner caliber right now. -- By Champ Bailey.

[Odysseus]

Let's hope that he's not starting in place of an injured Champ at midseason :(

I really think they are going to rotate ALL of the CB around to see what they can get from them production wise. It's a smart move if you want to be deep and the CB. I think Champ will be healthy when it counts. I am more worried about Walls since he seems to nick up pretty easy.

I was high on the draft early because it makes perfect sense. The plan was "Save money". They just worked out the details at the expense of fan's blood pressure.

[OrangeShadow]

i loved his enthusiam especially after sacking pay-a-ton

[bpc]

I'm beating a dead horse when I say that I love this kid. I can't believe how bad we have been at picking CB's through the years and this year it looks like we have three sure fire hits. Still a long ways to go but I like the make of this team. These guys are so fast.

[azbroncfan]

D williams hits pretty hard for a little guy.

[bpc]

I just like the competitiveness of our corners this year... its vastly improved from a couple of years ago. Williams has 10x the heart that a player like Deltha had and I love it.

[Mediator12]

Anyone watch Deltha get toasted By TO last week? Dude never has had it upstairs. Plus, he is a complete pu*** in run defense.

Darrent still has trouble with his play recognition, but can really tackle. Lenny Walls also got poor play recognition versus Reggie Wayne and Aaron Morehead. After watching the film, we missed Champ's Run Support on those Stretch plays. Lenny looked very average on the other side too.

[yavoon]

didn't darren williams get silly torched by wayne? yah wayne eventually fumbled but c'mon that was a smoking.

[Jetmeck]

Howard Griffith predicted on the WB2 news last night that Darrent will start opposite Champ by midseason. Since I have been critical of Shanny's draft picks recently, I will be the first to say "Great job". There is no way I could have imagined he'd be this good.

Let's hope that he's not starting in place of an injured Champ at midseason :(

Nope, a healthy Walls will be in the pro bowl this year.
Darrent could start but WALLS, BAILEY AND D. WILLIAMS is just what we need for a mid January playoff game at MILE HIGH against the Colts.

[DB-Freak]

didn't darren williams get silly torched by wayne? yah wayne eventually fumbled but c'mon that was a smoking.
Walls.

[Pat Bowlen]

Walls.
He slipped.

[yavoon]

Walls.

u sure? I know walls caused the fumble, forgot if he was the one who got burned tho. so who got the other double move burn near the endzone? was that williams? or someone else?

[Mile High Shack]

Nope, a healthy Walls will be in the pro bowl this year.
Darrent could start but WALLS, BAILEY AND D. WILLIAMS is just what we need for a mid January playoff game at MILE HIGH against the Colts.

Walls has bad hip movement and bad flexibility and is very over-rated as a corner

I tend to believe Howard on this one

[yavoon]

He slipped.


more like his ankles got broke.

[DB-Freak]

u sure? I know walls caused the fumble, forgot if he was the one who got burned tho. so who got the other double move burn near the endzone? was that williams? or someone else?
Both walls.

The CB was too tall to be Darrent.

And the CBs exactly didnt get owned this game.

Manning did an amazing job of spreading the ball out though.

[RaiderH8r]

Walls.
And let's also remember that Walls didn't give up on the play but busted his arse to get back there and create a turnover. Good hustle play.

[DB-Freak]

And let's also remember that Walls didn't give up on the play but busted his arse to get back there and create a turnover. Good hustle play.
I wasn't hating. That's bound to happen against quality WRs when you dont have the most fluid hip.

[DB-Freak]

Walls has bad hip movement and bad flexibility and is very over-rated as a corner

I tend to believe Howard on this one

He is a tall decent corner who's good enough to start.

Valuable assest against tall straightline WRs.


Definitely not Pro-Bowl Material.

[yavoon]

Both walls.

The CB was too tall to be Darrent.

And the CBs exactly didnt get owned this game.

Manning did an amazing job of spreading the ball out though.


oh I thot u literally knew. cbs did alright, manning put up 17 in the first half. which IS below what he has done in more important games again denver. interestingly enough the game was very non-standard for denver. indy owned the TOP and controlled the game while denver made the big plays(mike andersons run, forcing wayne's fumble).

[Rock Chalk]

didn't darren williams get silly torched by wayne? yah wayne eventually fumbled but c'mon that was a smoking.
Wayne fumbled and torched Walls who recovered on the play.

I only remember Williams getting beat once and that was more due to miscommunication on coverage assignment than lack of talent.

[DB-Freak]

oh I thot u literally knew. cbs did alright, manning put up 17 in the first half. which IS below what he has done in more important games again denver. interestingly enough the game was very non-standard for denver. indy owned the TOP and controlled the game while denver made the big plays(mike andersons run, forcing wayne's fumble).
I know it was Walls who came back and caused the fumble and almost allowed a TD in the end zone.

That height statement was a joke.

Walls did slip. Walls went forward too fast and went he tried to back-pedal suddenly he slipped.

And the other one was Walls turned back right in time and tipped the ball and the WR almost caught it again.

Darrent Williams didnt get burned once in that game.

[yavoon]

I know it was Walls who came back and caused the fumble and almost allowed a TD in the end zone.

That height statement was a joke.

Walls did slip. Walls went forward too fast and went he tried to back-pedal suddenly he slipped.

And the other one was Walls turned back right in time and tipped the ball and the WR almost caught it again.

Darrent Williams didnt get burned once in that game.

no I was thinking of the one that resulted in a touchdown the colts receiver did a double move.

[DB-Freak]

no I was thinking of the one that resulted in a touchdown the colts receiver did a double move.

Brad Pyatt?

I dont remember Wayne or Harrison faking a CB to get a TD. Both their TDs were from Zone coverages.

Was it in the fourth quarter cause I didnt see the fourth quarter much.

[ØrangeÇrush]

no I was thinking of the one that resulted in a touchdown the colts receiver did a double move.


It wasnt a doulbe move...Williams released thinking it was zone, but there wasn't over the top support leaving Wayne wide open and only Lynch trying to catch up. The play wasn't because anyone got torched but bad communication...that's something that is fixable.

[DB-Freak]

It wasnt a doulbe move...Williams released thinking it was zone, but there wasn't over the top support leaving Wayne wide open and only Lynch trying to catch up. The play wasn't because anyone got torched but bad communication...that's something that is fixable.
NO that was Harrison on Brandon's coverage mistake.

Wayne one was when there was like a 20 yard space between CB and safety zone coverage and Lynch was left alone.

[ØrangeÇrush]

dammit,

Thats why I shouldn't get drunk while trying to pay attention....

thanks...however it sure as hell looked as if the DB peeled of Wayne and no one was there to pick him up.

[DB-Freak]

dammit,

Thats why I shouldn't get drunk while trying to pay attention....

thanks...however it sure as hell looked as if the DB peeled of Wayne and no one was there to pick him up.
Weird play.

at least 20 yards between the safeties and the CBs.

[watermock]

There were about 3 plays that the secondary wasn't on the same page. As mentioned earlier, that's fixable. I was extremely impressed with the Hornet. He has superior closing speed, and hits like a mini-linebacker with excellent leverage and wraps up. He tackles like Champ Bailey. I can't remember ever seeing a corner that small hit and tackle so well. Fluid hips. Too bad he's so small, but damn, he isn't playing small. Comparing Mike Anderson to DW is like comparing a locomotice to a dragster. Not to dish Mike, once he gets a head of steam, he's fast. I saw DW turn his hips after backpedalling and he was full speed in about 2 strides glued on Harrison. He came in on Payaton on that corner blitz like, well, a Hornet.

[ØrangeÇrush]

Darrent Williams reminds me of Antoine Winston. Outstanding Cover guy who isn't considered elite because of height concerns. DW could very well be the Fred Smoot to Champ Bailey here.

They kept saying that he was the best cover corner at the Senior Bowl.

[watermock]

Smoot is an excellent cover corner but his speed is 4.55 and he a little taller, if that's possible. He doesn't hit like DW, who to me, looks sub 4.3.

[ØrangeÇrush]

I hope Darrent Williams becomes a Darrel Green type of corner. However, that's like wishing Jeb Putzier becomes Shannon Sharpe, or BVP becomes Steve Young.

It is nice to see him hang with bigguns though.

[watermock]

I remember Hippo Madden thrashing D. Green about his size as a rookie, called him a reach, that he "couldn't hang with the bigguns", and he had a pretty good career.

[Cito Pelon]

. . . . I was extremely impressed with the Hornet. He has superior closing speed, and hits like a mini-linebacker with excellent leverage and wraps up. . . . . . .

Darrent appears to me to have very strong hands. I don't mean "good hands", but strong hands. Anybody shaken hands with the kid? I bet he has a hell of a grip.

[Mediator12]

Weird play.

at least 20 yards between the safeties and the CBs.

The weird thing about that play was that Wayne was the ONLY Reciever in a pattern. The others Simply flared out to the flats and the Guys playing zone OVERREACTED just like the play was designed.

[BroncoInferno]

Walls has bad hip movement and bad flexibility and is very over-rated as a corner

I tend to believe Howard on this one

Walls covered teams #1 WR in 2003. He played near a Pro Bowl level much of the season doing it. He did struggle at times with the problems you mentioned, but remember, it was his first year as a starter. ALL first year CBs are going to have some struggles. But when you factor in the role he was asked to play (covering top WRs) coupled with his inexperience, he had a very good season overall. There is no reason to think he won't take a step up this season, particularly considering someone else will be covering the #1 guys.

[watermock]

There is alot of differing opinions on Walls. I have warmed up, but I said that he was going to be suspect to stop and go routes. Teams started abusing him that way when they saw film. He does match up well with the tall recievers tho. We just have to match him up right.

[Mile High Shack]

Walls covered teams #1 WR in 2003. He played near a Pro Bowl level much of the season doing it. He did struggle at times with the problems you mentioned, but remember, it was his first year as a starter. ALL first year CBs are going to have some struggles. But when you factor in the role he was asked to play (covering top WRs) coupled with his inexperience, he had a very good season overall. There is no reason to think he won't take a step up this season, particularly considering someone else will be covering the #1 guys.

quick WRs are going to eat him up

[BroncoInferno]

quick WRs are going to eat him up

They didn't "eat him up" in 2003. Yes, he had a problem with stiff hips and, consequently, double moves around midseason, but he had improved his technique by seasons end and closed the year strong. He will have a Pro Bowl caliber year this season.

[Cito Pelon]

There's too much chest-thumping going on by D players. Make the play, accept the congratulations from your teammates, then go back to the huddle and get ready for the next play. Christ, how hard is that to do? If you make a turnover or a stop on 3rd down, accept the congratulations from your teammates, then go the sideline and talk to your coach, don't pose and preen. This preening after one good play gets very tiresome.

[BroncoInferno]

There's too much chest-thumping going on by D players. Make the play, accept the congratulations from your teammates, then go back to the huddle and get ready for the next play. Christ, how hard is that to do? If you make a turnover or a stop on 3rd down, accept the congratulations from your teammates, then go the sideline and talk to your coach, don't pose and preen. This preening after one good play gets very tiresome.

Pretty much every team does this. Just how athletes are these days. Might as well get used to it.

[rbackfactory80]

if we have our coverage specialist Champ in there, this is above average coverage unit.

[Cito Pelon]

Pretty much every team does this. Just how athletes are these days. Might as well get used to it.

I'm having a hard time getting used to it. It's the young-uns that tend to do the preening, but on the other hand, it's the young-uns the team is counting on to make consecutive plays. If the youngsters are using 10 seconds of the 40 second playclock thumping their chests, that's detrimental to the team effort. Titles of any kind are defintely not made by chest-thumping or checking yourself out on the Jumbotron.

[clarker]

I'm having a hard time getting used to it. It's the young-uns that tend to do the preening, but on the other hand, it's the young-uns the team is counting on to make consecutive plays. If the youngsters are using 10 seconds of the 40 second playclock thumping their chests, that's detrimental to the team effort. Titles of any kind are defintely not made by chest-thumping or checking yourself out on the Jumbotron.How do you know they use 10 seconds of the playclock or that it is effecting them getting the plays in on time. I think your overstating this.

It does get annoying to see someone celebrate like they just won the Super Bowl when they make a simple tackle, but when they get a turn over alittle chest pumping doesn't hurt anything.

Espiecally since it seems like the last time the Broncos had a game where we got more than one turn over is the last time the Broncos did win a Super Bowl.

Defense is all about passion and aggression. You can over due like that a** clown MLB for the Ravens, but a little attitude helps.

[Rascal]

Personally I don't care who starts between Walls and Williams. The fact that we have two quality starting CB's battling out for the #2 CB position is good enough for me.

[azbroncfan]

Passes that were completed against williams he tackled them right away which is all you can do against good recievers at times. He played harrison pretty well for the most part.

[DB-Freak]

The way Darrent is playing I don't think there will be a true number 2 corner back here.

Actually I don't even think there'll be a true 1,2, and 3 corners.

It will all depend on the match up.

[Rascal]

uh....pretty sure champ will guard the best receiving option available no matter what the matchup is.

[DB-Freak]

uh....pretty sure champ will guard the best receiving option available no matter what the matchup is.
Thats what I mean partially. As a number one corner, you would expect to cover the number 1 WR, but he didn't do that all the time.

Probably most of the time, but there has been expections like the Falcons and chiefs games.

[SoCalBronco]

I think if we are at full strength, we could take Indy in another playoff scenario. Darrent Williams is perfectly designed for a similarly small slot guy like Stokely. Herndon shut Stokely down last year and Darrent I think could easily do that, he is alot more talented than Kelly but still has that grit and scrappiness that Kelly had too. Walls against Wayne isnt that bad and Champ held Marvin in check last time. The front four has to stay fresh though. We cant have the Colts on the field for 2/3 of the first half like in this preseason game. I hope Coyer figures something out regarding the LBs though. Moore very wisely used 3 WR to one side sets and split out the middle WR with a farther split than usual to take DJ completely out of the box with a man in his face as well. We could keep the LBs in the box and shut down the run with 7 against 6 blockers, but if we put the SS over that middle reciever in the trips set it would limit us to either man-free or a three deep zone.

[Rascal]

Yeah it's obvious from just the preseason game how much better a coordinator Moore is then Kubiak.

As soon as I saw them go that formation and run it twice in a row I knew they had found our weakness in a preseason game and they were going to exploit it till we changed something.

Lynch as a cover safety really scares me...I'd prefer not to face the Colts again.

[Ballhawk]

If Williams continues to improve, Walls may not get resigned next year. I guess that also depend on getting Paymah or Forworth to develop.

[Tredici]

Heard an interview with Darrent tonight. They asked him how he felt when he sacked Payton.

He said he was so amped up he wanted to play the whole quarter. Didn't want to ever come out.

Shanahan also mentioned him. Said the kid always has a smile, he works, and he's always ready.

Stay healthy Darrent. I think Denver has found a playa!

[Bronx33]

Heard an interview with Darrent tonight. They asked him how he felt when he sacked Payton.

He said he was so amped up he wanted to play the whole quarter. Didn't want to ever come out.

Shanahan also mentioned him. Said the kid always has a smile, he works, and he's always ready.

Stay healthy Darrent. I think Denver has found a playa!


Knock on wood........the kid has the skillz for sure.

[watermock]

Shanahan also mentioned him. Said the kid always has a smile, he works, and he's always ready.

Shanahan also mentioned MoC. Said the baby always pouted, was lazy, and was unprepared.

[Sprout]

Darrent Williams: Growing up fast...

*Sigh* It seems like only yesterday he was a puzzling second round pick...